THERE wasn’t a huge amount to do growing up in Carronshore. Hassan Haider is grateful for that now. The 19-year-old boarded a plane yesterday destined for the South Korean city of Muju ahead of his maiden appearance in the senior World Taekwondo Championships that start on Thursday. It is the most significant milestone to date of a life spent devoted to a sport he has been practising since he was just five.

Opportunities are limited when you live in a village of just 3000 people outside of Falkirk, and the Central Taekwondo Academy was happy to take Haider under its wing. Like most Scottish boys his age, football was his first real love – he remains a huge Liverpool fan and hopes to get to a game or two next season – but, with each year of practising and competing, his commitment to taekwondo grew and grew.

Now his hobby is his job, too. In March he was invited to join the GB Academy in Manchester after gaining a place on the Tokyo Olympics Programme via UK Sport’s Fighting Chance initiative. It has meant seismic changes in his life, both on and off the mat. He has moved out of the family home for the first time and into accommodation with his fellow athletes, while training five times a week has also been physically draining.

It is the path he has wished for, however, and so there are no grumbles. Competing in a world championships at the home of taekwondo will be further sign of his progress.

“This is a big moment in my career,” he said. “I’ve been watching teams go out to big championships over the years so it’s amazing to be part of such an event myself now. There’s nothing I’ve done so far in my career that will be comparable with this. And the fact it’s being held in Korea makes it even more special.

“I’ve always wanted to go there as it’s where taekwondo originated. I’ve got my weigh-in on Friday and my first fight on Saturday so I’m really looking forward to it. It will be interesting to see how I do against the best in the world and it would be great to return with a medal. That’s the target I’ve set myself.”

Spending the last few months training full-time with Britain’s elite fighters has been ideal preparation.

“When I first went down there the workload wasn’t too bad but it’s just been increasing week after week. And now it’s pretty full on. We’ve had national teams coming to train with us – Saudi Arabia, Germany and France – and that’s helped take things on to the next level.

“Previously I had been maybe training once a day so there wasn’t that same intensity. Now you’re getting pushed to your limits all the time. It was physically draining at the start but they have good recovery methods and that’s really important. The physios help you a lot.

“I’ve had to adjust to a new lifestyle, too. It’s a lot busier down in Manchester than I was used to before but I try to come home whenever I can to see my family and friends.”

It was a family member that got him into the sport in the first place, Haider following in the footsteps of his cousin.

“My mum used to drop him off so when I was old enough she put me into the club, too,” he said. “I think she just wanted me to stick at it until I got a black belt but after I got that I felt I wanted to keep going. It became more serious, I was training more and it took off from there.

“I wasn’t that successful as a cadet but in my late years in the juniors I won medals at a few tournaments abroad and I realised if I trained hard I could reach the top.

“It was hard at the weekends not seeing your friends as you’d be competing or training, although there wasn’t always a lot to do growing up in a small town. That’s probably a good thing! And all those sacrifices have definitely been worth it now.”